Decatur School District

The Decatur School District in rural Arkansas serves 613 students across three schools: Decatur Northside Elementary (PK-4), Decatur Middle School (5-8), and Decatur High School (9-12), with every student eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Decatur Northside Elementary is the district's standout, achieving math and science proficiency rates above the state average despite the high poverty level. Its 4th grade class particularly excels, with 56.2% proficient in math versus the state's 47%. The school has improved from a 1-star to a 2-star rating. In contrast, Decatur Middle School is the most challenged, remaining a 1-star school for three years with proficiency rates in all core subjects far below state averages. A sharp "middle school slump" is evident, as 5th graders show 34.2% math proficiency, dropping to 20.7% by 8th grade. Decatur High School shows the most improvement, jumping from the 19th to the 50th percentile, with its 10th graders outperforming the state in English, reading, and biology. However, its graduation rate of 69.2% is critically below the state average of 90.1%.

Key metrics reveal a district with stark contrasts. The high school spends the most per student ($15,644) and has the smallest class sizes (6.1:1 ratio), yet its academic proficiency remains below state averages. The elementary school achieves better results with lower spending ($13,129) and larger classes (13.7:1). District-wide, science is the strongest subject (35.3% proficient) and math the weakest (33.1%). The most urgent crisis is the high school's graduation rate, suggesting challenges beyond academics. The district's future success hinges on bridging the middle school gap and ensuring elementary gains are not lost during these critical transition years.